Court orders final forfeiture of N3 billion seized from ‘top military officer’

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the final forfeiture of N3billion worth of landed properties said to be seized from “a top military officer”.

The name of the top military of the officer was not given in the statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announcing the forfeiture order on Monday.

It, however disclosed that the assets were controlled by the military officerthrough proxies including the late General, Aminu Maude, and some companies such as Atlasfield Integrated Services Nigeria Limited, Marhaba Events Place, Aflac Plastics and Atlasfield Gas Plant Limited.

The judge, Nkeoye Maha, granted the final forfeiture order in a ruling on the application by EFCC’s counsel, Cosmos Ugwu, and Musa Isah.

Wilson Uwujaren, the EFCC’s spokesperson, who signed the EFCC statement, said the forfeited properties situated on lands valued at over N3billion are located in different parts of Kano, Katsina, Calabar (Cross River State) and Kaduna.

They also included filling stations, Event Centres, Plazas, Block Industries, Truck Assembly Plant, Polythene Production factory and table water factory.

Some of the properties include undeveloped plot located at Rake, Adjacent to Dara Orthopedic Hospital, Kano valued at N300 million; 117 hectares of land located at Adiabo, Oduapani LG covered by Certificated of Occupancy No. OD/23/2011 dated 21/2/ 2011 in Calabar, Cross River State, valued at N386 million; Truck Assembly at Ring Road, adjacent to AA Affa Filling Station, Kano, valued at N206 million and Marhaba Event Centre, Guda Abdulahi Road Farm Centre, Kano valued at N250 million.

READ EFCC’S FULL STATEMENT

EFCC Press Release

EFCC Secures Final Forfeiture of Landed Properties Valued at Over N3.7 Billion

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on 14 February, 2022, secured the final forfeiture of 20 (twenty) landed properties valued at over N3, 007, 000, 000 (Three Billion and Seven Million Naira) belonging to a top military officer but controlled through proxies including late General Aminu Maude, and companies such as Atlasfield Integrated Services Nigeria Limited, Marhaba Events Place, Aflac Plastics and Atlasfield Gas Plant Limited.

Justice N. E Maha of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, granted the Orderwhile ruling on the application by counsel to the EFCC, Cosmos Ugwu and Musa Isah.

The Court had in May, 2020 ordered the interim forfeiture of the properties following an ex parte application by the Commission, alleging that the assets were proceeds of unlawful activities.

The court, having considered the application vis-a-vis Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, more particularly sub-sections 1 and 3 thereof, granted the prayers of the Commission for an interim forfeiture and directed the publication of notices, alerting anyone with interest in the properties to show cause why they should not be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

In the absence of any contestation, the court today ordered the final forfeiture of the properties.

The forfeited properties, situated on lands valued at over N3, 007, 000, 000 (Three Billion and Seven Million Naira) are located in different parts of Kano, Katsina, Calabar (Cross River State) and Kaduna. They included Fuel Stations, Event Centers, Plazas, Block Industries, Truck Assembly Plant, Polythene Production factory and table water factory.

Some of the properties include undeveloped plot located at Rake, Adjacent to Dara Orthopedic Hospital, Kano valued at N300, 000, 000 (Three Hundred Million Naira); 117 hectares of land located at Adiabo, Oduapani L,G covered by Certificated of OccupancyNo. OD/23/2011 dated 21/2/ 2011 in Calabar, Cross River State, valued at N386, 000, 000 (Three Hundred and Eighty Six Million Naira); Truck Assembly at Ring Road, adjacent to AA Affa Filling Station, Kano, valued at N206, 000, 000 (Two Hundred and Six million Naira) and Marhaba Event Centre, Guda Abdulahi Road Farm Centre, Kano valued at N250, 000, 000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Million naira).

Wilson Uwujaren

Head, media and Publicity

14 February, 2022